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Friday, April 23, 2010

1000th Follower Giveaway!

Guys, I love you. I love that you come by every day to read my ramblings and to leave witty, brilliant, informative comments. I love your opinions on shoes and that you cheer me on when I need it. I even love that you tell me when I'm wrong. A lot of different voices contribute to this blog and for that I thank all of you. I wish I could give you each a present! Alas, I have but one to give. A brand new copy of Blueprints of Fashion: Home Sewing Patterns of the 1940s is up for a giveaway!

This is one of my favorite fashion history books, so it seems a fitting celebratory prize. All you have to do is leave a comment here to be entered. You can enter until Monday, April 26th at midnight EST. All countries are eligible! Make sure you stop by on Tuesday to see if you're the winner.

Thank you for being an inspiration and for posting such easy to follow tutorials. You lead by example Gertie, you deserve every follower you've got. Congratulations. Go have a very big drink of your choice! x

Awww...Gertie, we love you too! In fact, I'm having a hard time saying if yours or The Selfish Seamstress is my all-time favourite. (Ok, I'm just saying that in the hopes of fueling some scrappy rivalry. Is there a sewing equivalent of mudwrestling to settle this?)

I see you're up to 1006 now - congratulations! I simply love reading your blog, and can only imagine the amount of time you must invest in making it so fab. Your beautiful creations have inspired me to take my first, tentative steps into the world of sewing.

And thank YOU Gertie for being the one to start these brilliant discussions. Though I would have loved living in the '40's and '50's amongst stylish young women like the ones on the cover of the book you are giving away, I count myself lucky that I live in this current technological age in which I can read your blog from New Zealand and be inspired by your wise words as well as the advice from your followers. <3

I want to thank you as well, for writing this wonderful blog. It has played a big influence in getting me started on sewing my own clothes. I've been trying for years without much success and by reading your blog I understand more about the techniques I was reading about, but didn't quite grasp before. So thank you very much!

Oh this would be a wonderful book to win! I have learned so much reading your blog, and I check it almost every day. Sounds schmoozy, doesn't it, but it's true. I have been sewing for almost 30 years now, and I am finally learning what I need to know about pattern alterations and fitting. Your blog is one of the ones that has helped me get over my fear of munching up my existing patterns to fit my body. I find your blog inspirational!

Woo! Congrats on 1000 followers! I don't always comment, but I absolutely LOVE reading your blog! You're so inspiring and your posts are interesting and informative! So thank you for sharing your life with us! :D

I can't remember if I have commented on your blog before but I have followed it for some time now and read it from the beginning. You are very inspiring and I must say, I have learned quiet a bit from reading your blog.You introduced me to Emma Pillsbury and now I am obviously hooked. How could I not be.All the best to you and your beautiful blog (plus not to forget the husband and the kitties)XX

Congrats on 1,000 followers! And that book looks awesome. Count me in among those who find your blog inspirational. (I just finished a hot-pink pencil skirt ... can one dress like Emma Pillsbury if one is shaped more like the Pillsbury dough boy? lol)

I love reading your blog and how you rock the retro style. It has inspired me to learn pattern drafting, since finding cute plus sized patterns is not that easy, and have to modify them anyway, because apparently my hips to waist ratio is too curvalicious for a pattern!

Wow, what a generous giveaway.thanx to you and others I've refound a new passion and after sitting for so many years on the bridge looking down at the stream, i've finally decided to jump in and get my feet wet.you would die of laughter if you saw what I've made but I believe if you make a mistake you learn from it.hugsjoan in italy

Hi Gertie. I've been enjoying your blog for a while now. Thank you so much for the great patterns and discussions. I would love to be entered in your drawing. You and Peter are responsible for my growing list of Vintage pattern covets.arenee"dot"d"at"gmail"dot"com

Congratulations Gertie! Without you we would not be inspired to try our hand at peter pan collars, crinolines, fitting, and perhaps vintage patterns in general. It has certainly helped me push myself. Thanks :)

I only discovered your blog a month or so ago, but it's become a regular part of my internet reading. Thanks for the informative, beautiful sewing features and the smart, thought-provoking feminist content!

Congrats on this milestone! Your blog is by far my favorite, Gertie. It's relevant, thought-provoking, and so much fun! Before I found this supportive community of vintage lovers, I was starting to feel like a shadow of myself (in the midst of motherhood & wifeyhood). Thanks for helping me get back in touch with my "old soul" for a few minutes each day!Btw, that book is my favorite resource for patterns/designs. I'd love to own a copy. Thanks for the giveaway!

I also want to thank you for your blog. I found it and it helped give me the drive to chase after one of my dreams!!! I love reading your blog first thing in the morning (it's like my coffee) and then in the afternoon catching up on past blogs!

I decided to follow you yesterday after god knows how many weeks of silent lurking. You've inspired me to go and buy a lot (lot!) of vintage patterns from ebay this week and to revamp my image/style. I'm so glad your ramblings are as popular as they are! I really enjoy reading your blog - keep on goin'!

I also want to thank you for your blog. I found it and it helped give me the drive to chase after one of my dreams!!! I love reading your blog first thing in the morning (it's like my coffee) and then in the afternoon catching up on past blogs!

I stop by every day and absolutely love your blog. It's encouraging me to take up my needle again and get sewing - only this time I'm going to learn to adjust patterns and make muslins to get the fit right. Thank you Gertie for your wonderful articles and inspiration.

Love it Gertie! I love your blog and have learned so much from you already. Thanks to your ruler recommendation, I am currently working on my first non-a-line skirt...that will maybe fit both my waist and my hips! Glorious! Keep up the good work sister :-)

It happens a lot that I get really enthusiastic about something and then lose interest - either because I've exhausted its limited appeal or just got bored - but your blog is definitely not one of those thing! I've been reading for seven months and checking for your new post is still one of those things I look forward to every day. Thank you so much for being interesting and inspirational on a daily basis - the effort that you put into making this blog good is truly amazing, and you deserve to have thousands of followers.

Gertie - I love your blog! There's always something interesting to read, I've learned some new things, and I'm amazed at your sewing speed. Actually, I'd love for you to post a bit about that - how you set up a project, how long is each sewing session, how much do you do at once - in short, how are you able to produce such lovely pieces so quickly?

i can understand why you have 1000 followers - this a great blog and (no lie) it is the first thing i open every morning. even before i check my email!!!

i wish our local bookstore carried that book. they said they could order it for me, but i just want to browse it! seems like a such a waste if i'm not going to buy it (only bc i cannot afford it - maybe for my birthday!).

Wow! Thanks Gertie! I love your blog. It's a different perspective for me altogether, and I love the way the discussions make me think. You've also inspired me. I can't wait til I'm not preggo anymore so I can learn to sew clothes for myself. Keep it up!

Wow! Thanks Gertie! I love your blog. It's a different perspective for me altogether, and I love the way the discussions make me think. You've also inspired me. I can't wait til I'm not preggo anymore so I can learn to sew clothes for myself. Keep it up!

I saw you were getting close a few days ago and wondered what you would be doing to commemorate the event. Alas, my blog is only at 39 followers so I have no idea how it feels. I've been tempted by that book and would love to win a free copy so hopefully I'll get picked.

Whether I win or no, this is a great chance for me to say thank you for your great blog! As a long-time sewer and costume designer, I sew constantly but it is so rare that I take time to make things for myself. Your blog is inspiring me to start again and re-energizing me to love sewing in a fresh way.

Hi, well i guess i'd love to win this giveaway but i want to take this opportunity to tell you what i like about your blog (which i discovered about 4 months ago,i think): Reason 1 : i like it because i makes me think about how i'm sewing, what patterns are right for me, what techniques to look into, how i select fabric, why i'm attracted to such and such style, how the maketing of sewing products affect us, why i want only the stylish part of the 40's or 50's (and not male domination!), etc. Reading your "ramblings" actually helps me think about my own practice, about my own choices.

Reason 2: you recently wrote that you think of yourself as a seamstress rather than a designer of clothes. I loved that. Because I could say the same. I love patterns and i'd prefer to use a pattern and make something fantastic rather than invent my own design and come up with something that lacks talent. Because i know for sure i don't have that talent but maybe i can become good at sewing...!

Thank you for making me think while sewing (multi tasking!) and inspiring me so often

I've only recently chanced upon your blog (via your 'Bullet bra' posting, isn't google great!), and am loving what I'm finding. I really want to start using all my vintage patterns and dressmaking books, and I know already you're site's set to become a real inspiration.

Fantastic! Thank you, Gertie! I really enjoy reading your blog and I admire your dedication with sewing. You've helped inspire me to sew more often and finish what I start because I love seeing your finished projects and want to start seeing some of my own, haha!

thank you gertie! this blog inspired me so much that despite my impatience with sewing (I have expressed it before here) I have decided that I can after all sew-- I just can't use the sewing machine. By hand it is-- but I still like to believe you'd be proud. melina bee

Thank you for a wonderful blog! I love it so much- it has become my #1 favorite sewing blog. I find everything you do so informative and inspiring and encouraging! Plus, I love that you too live in Queens!!!!So thanks so much for every word and photo and keep posting so I can keep reading! xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo